Geranium plant named ‘Regli’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Regal  Geranium  plant named ‘Regli’, characterized by its upright and mounded plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large pink and purple-colored flowers; and no requirement for cooling treatment for flower development.

Botanical designation: Pelargonium grandiflorum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Regli’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium, botanically known as Pelargonium grandiflorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Regli’.

The new Regal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new Regal Geraniums that do not require a cooling treatment for flower development.

The new Regal Geranium is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Pelargonium grandiflorum cultivar Regros, not patented. The cultivar Regli was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single plant of the parent cultivar in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany during the summer of 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Regal Geranium by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Dresden, Germany since the summer of 2003, has shown that the unique features of this new Regal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar Regli has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Regli’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Regli’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Regal Geranium:

-   -   1. Upright and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Large pink and purple-colored flowers.     -   6. Does not require cooling treatment for flower development.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the parent, the cultivar Regros, primarily in flower color as plants of the cultivar Regros have light red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Regal Geranium can be compared to plants of the Pelargonium grandiflorum cultivar Pacali, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,755. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Dresden, Germany, plants of the new Regal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Pacali in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Regal Geranium were broader than plants of         the cultivar Pacali.     -   2. Plants of the new Regal Geranium had shorter internodes than         plants of the cultivar Pacali.     -   3. Plants of the new Regal Geranium had larger flower umbels         with more flowers per umbel than plants of the cultivar Pacali.     -   4. Plants of the new Regal Geranium and the cultivar Pacali         differed in flower color.     -   5. Plants of the new Regal Geranium had longer peduncles than         plants of the cultivar Pacali.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Regal Geranium, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Regal Geranium. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Regli’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementio ned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown in Dresden, Germany in a glass-covered greenhouse during the winter and spring and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Geranium production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 18° C., night temperatures averaged 16° C. and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants were about six months old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Pelargonium grandiflorum cultivar Regli. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of the Pelargonium     grandiflorum cultivar Regros, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 18 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 22 days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 25 days             at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 30 days             at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant/growth habit.—Upright and mounded plant habit;             inverted triangle; densely foliated. Vigorous growth habit.             Freely basal branching habit with about seven lateral             branches developing per plant.         -   Plant height, to top of umbels.—About 28 cm.         -   Plant height, to top of leaves.—About 17 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 10 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm.             Internode length: Less than 1 cm. Texture: Pubescent. Color:             138A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate or opposite; simple. Length: About             6 cm. Width: About 8 cm. Shape: Roughly cordate; palmately             lobed. Apex: Acute. Base: Cordate, open. Margin: Serrate to             biserrate.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent;             leathery.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             137B; venation, 144A. Developing and fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 147B; venation, 144A. Zonation pattern: Not             discernible. Petiole: Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About             4 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers arranged in             inversely conical umbels arising from apical leaf axils.             Umbels displayed above the foliage on strong peduncles.             Flowers face upright to outward. Flowers not persistent.             Flowers not fragrant.         -   Quantity of flowers.—Freely flowering habit; about 30 flower             umbels per plant each with about seven flowers.         -   Flowering season.—In Dresden, Germany, flowering initiates             in the spring and continues into the summer. Plants do not             require a cooling treatment for flower development.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two weeks on             the plant.         -   Umbel height.—About 6 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 8 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 3 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 cm.             Shape: Roughly elliptical. Color: 146B.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Five; imbricate. Length: About             3.5 cm. Width: Upper two petals, about 3 cm. Lower three             petals, about 2.5 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower s urfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: 74D; upper petals, towards the             center, 74A to darker than 74A, central spot, close to 59A;             venation, 74A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface:             75C; venation, 74B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Five, arranged in a single             whorl. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 5 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             143A.         -   Peduncle (umbel stem).—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About             3 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: Mostly erect to outwardly             slanted. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146B.         -   Pedicel (individual flower stem).—Length: About 2 cm.             Diameter: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong; flexible. Texture:             Pubescent. Color: 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity per flower:             About seven. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape:             Tubular. Anther color: 72A. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen             color: 171A. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 2 cm. Stigma shape: Five-parted. Stigma             color: Darker than 59A. Style length: About 4 mm. Style             color: Darker than 59A. Ovary color: Close to 146C.         -   Seeds.—Length: About 2 mm to 3 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Color: Brownish. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Regal Geranium have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Regal     Geraniums. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants ofthe new Regal Geranium have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about     35° C. to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct Regal Geranium plant named ‘Regli’ as illustrated and described. 